The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-08
DAILY APPEAL. SATURDAY..
lanta, Knoxville, Nashville and the
citiea Of Northern Texas3n

the cotton and much OF tie business
in Texas has been shipped to the
North and Northeast at long haul aud
very low rates by rail, where's, il this
bill was put into operation, the prob
able effect would be to turn most Of
the Texas business by way of Calves
ton, verv much 10 the injury Of the
int rior Texas towns"
at is clear, then, that you do not
think this provision Of the bill would
be Of bsnefit to any particular part Of
the country?"
"No, l do not. On the contrary, |
can't see how it could fail to work
damage to the bus ness of the country,
especially tho South. 1t really seems
strange that there should be no seri-
GUS thought Of enforcing such mea.
sure. The development of the United
States and its CONNIE rec for the last
twenty years under the unrestricted
systsm of railroad transportation has
been marvellous; in fact, it may be
said to constitute prosperity that il
unexampled in any previous history OF
the world, and l cannot understand
why, in the main, the country should
not be satisfied with a system under
which it has attained such prosperity,
and without which the great West and
portions OF the South would have been
wilderness in comr arson with what
they are today"
'Do you think, then, that no legis-
'ation by Congress upon this subject
!, necessary 2'
q No; | do not mean thst. think il
Gong, 'ess would enact the Massachu-
sstts la V, creating a commission, with
some ado Ftional provisions In the way
Of reouirirA the roads to give publici-
Nv to their RI, es, and to treat all ship
pers impartiall,", with penalties against
the violation OF /. he same, such meas
nre would result il real bsnefit to the
business of the couC TRY, and at the
same time satisfy the public. But /
think it unwise 70 enoeavor to do
more than this, at least until the |
effect Of such measure could be tried. |
II, after having tried a bill OF this |
kind, it should be found that some
hing more is needed, 1t would be
tins enough then for more restrictive
Attention has been called
to the fact hat the enforcement OF
the short and long haul provision will
compel many railroads to practically
abandon through, or long haul, traffic
and to advance their local rates. The
effect OF this will be to narrow the
range Of the Interchange of commercial
and the markets for
products OF the farm and manu-.
facturer; to put an embargo on for.
eigu commerce.; to depreciate the
value 70 the producer of every bushel
Of wheat al d corn and every bale of
cotton; impair ths value of mills,
blast furnfc es, foundries and store
houses, and check the wheel OF prog
ress for many year,. The true state
ment of the Gaze" Mr.. Inman con-
GUIDED, sis that this bill seeks to
,reate the right OF discrimination,
which does not now exist any
and lodge this power with
i've indisiduals. 1t practically gives
The Commissioners the power to fix
he tariffs Of nearly all the railroads of
The country, and they can thus ar
range rates 30 az to gay whether any
arge industry along line OF railroad
IN the South shall be permitted to
sarn sufficient money to pay it's stock
holders or whether 1t shall be forced
INTO bankruptcy. / contend, there.
lore, that the ohipper is safer at the
mercy Ct the corporation than in the
hands OF five individuals, for the
shipper Of a locality or even a section,
and the entire bssin So of a whole
line Of raj road, nay be destroyed
in the least affect.
ing these five gentlemen, who are
given the most extraordinary powers
ever delegated by legislative body in
this country or Europe, and powers
never contemplated by our constitu-
ton. From the standpoint OF one
largely interested in Southern indus.
tri5s, / cannot conceive of more hurt
ful measure than the short and long
haul clause, and / hope anyone feeling
a genuine interest in the development
Of he South will think carefully be-
lore advocating the bill as 1t now
stands, 10 lis passage would use a
serious halt in the progress Of that
St elton, which is now moving 30
rapidly to the 'front.'"